Fastening means for butt-joint metal culverts.



J. H. DEAN.

FASTENING MEANS FOR BUTT JOINT METAL CULVERTS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 23| T913.

Patented Mar. 27,1917.

witmeooeo:

., summum wAsNmf. rou. a. c.

JOHNVH. DEAN, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

FASTENING MEANS FOR, BUTT-JOINT METAL CULVERTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented-Mar. 27, 1917.

Application filed J' anuary23, 1913. Serial No. 743,766.

To all lwhom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. DEAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Birmingham, in the county of Jefferson and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful VImprovements in Fastening Means for Butt-Joint Metal Culverts, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein `to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to spring keys or clips for use in fastening together and maintaining in connected relation the, complementary sections ofmy improved butt-joint nestable metal culvertwhich I'have particularly set 'forth and coveredv in Patent No. 1,049,816, granted to me on January 7 1913'.

The type of butt-joint nestablep culvert herein referred to is one in which said culvert is made up of metal sections, preferably corrugated half sections, which sections have rigid metal strips or bars welded or riveted to the sides of said sections at or near their longitudinal edges, the strips or bars'being so arranged with respect to said metal sections that spaces or passageways are formed at intervals between the sections and said strips for receiving the spring keys or clips.'

In assembling `this type of culvert the complementarysections are placed together with their longitudinal edges meeting or abutting, and the spring. key or clip to be hereinafter more particularly described, is provided for engagingwithin the passageways formed between the sections and the strips with a view to providing a means for forcing the longitudinal edges of complementary sections into true abutting relation and furthermore, for Vretaining said edges in such position. These'spring keys are also adapted to serve as a means for connecting the adjacent strips of complementary sections together, whereby said complementary sections are held and retained in proper assembled relation. t

I have illustrated my invention in the, accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a butt-joint culvert illustrating my improved spring key or clip in proper position foraccomplishing the purpose for'which itl is intended;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, and showing the longitudinal edges of the culvert in abutting relation, and the spring keys inserted in the passageways formed between thev sides of the culvert sections and the metal strips;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one of the spring keys; and V 1 Fig. 4 is a perspective view of said spring rey.

Referring to the drawing, it is to be noted that each section indicated at 1 of the buttjoint culvert, is shown provided with corrugations which are arranged parallel with opposite ends thereof, and that when these sections which are preferably half sections are arranged in assembled position toform the completed culvert,"the corrugations of upper and lower sections coincide with each other, or in other words each conveX and concave'corrugation of, an upper section is directly in line with the convex and concave corrugations respectively of the section below it. It is to be noted that these sections are constructed withoutthe usual outstanding iianges, but .that the longitudinal edges of complementary sections are adapted to abut as indicated at 2 in the drawing, soV

that when said sections are lconnected together with their longitudinal edges meeting or abutting, the corrugated culvert, for allV intents and purposes, has the appearance and strength of an integral corrugated cylinder.

As has heretofore been referred to, the culvert sections are provided at or near their longitudinal edges with rigid metal strips or bars 8, which are secured to the convex corrugations of each section, preferably by welding or riveting the same thereto, and it will be noted that passageways as indicated at 4, are formedbetween the sides of the corrugated culvert sections and the said metal strips at points intermediate the conveX corrugations of said sections, and these passageways are provided for receiving my improved spring key or clip.

The key or clip is made from a single piece of spring metal and is substantially inverted U-shaped in form. This type of key is provided at its upper end with a flange indicated at 5, which is adapted to engage the upper strip or bar of complementary sections, in order to properly position said key within the passageway and prevent it falling Ventirely through the passageway when inserted. The key is also provided with a portion 6 which when said key'is properly positioned within the passageway, engages the side of the culvert at a point where the longiwith the side of the culvert and the metal strips 3 3, respectively, as will be readily understood. In such position of the key it is to be noted that the same serves to properly position and retain the longitudinal Y meeting edges of complementary sections in true abutting relation, and furthermore to connect adjacent strips of said sections for the purpose of holding the sections in assembled osition. At the lower end of the member of said spring key is provided an outwardly bent portion 8, which when the key is in proper position within the passageway, engages beneath the bottom edge of the lower strip 3 and thus serves to .prevent accidental displacement of the key.

In providing a spring key or clip of the type ust referred to, it will be noted that the key is capable of adjusting itself to passageways of different width, and this is due to the tendency of the members 6 and 7 to spread apart, in which event they are firmly held in engagement with the side of the culvert and the metal strips respectively.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In combination with a butt-joint culvert, a device formed with an outer face so shaped as to engage the side of said oulvert at a point where the longitudinal edges of the same abut for holding and retaining said edges in such abutting relation, means for holding the device in such operative position, said device comprising a plurality of members at least one of which has a normal tendency to spring in an outward direction from the main structure, whereby the device is held in such position under spring tension.

2. In combination with a butt-joint culvert, a device formed with an outer face so shaped as to engage the side of said culvert at a point where the longitudinal edges of the same abut for holding and retaining said edges in such abutting relation, said device made up of a plurality of spring members, and means secured to the culvert for holding said device in such position and under spring tension.

3. In combination'with a butt-joint culvert having passageways formed between the side of said culvert and metal strips secured to the same, a retaining means engaging within said passageways and comprising members held therein under spring tension, whereby said means is capable of adapting itself kto passageways of dilferent widths, one of said members being so constructed upon its outer face as to be capable of properly engaging the side of the culvert for holding and retaining the longitudinal meeting edges of said culvert in abutting relation.

fl. In combination with a buttjoint culvert when the key is inserted within saidy passageways for holding and retaining the longitudinal meeting edges of the culvert in abutting relation.

5. In combination with a butt-joint culvert having passageways formedbetween its side and metal strips secured to the same,

a. spring clip adapted for insertion within said passageways for holding and retaining the longitudinal edges of said culvert in abutting relation, said clip having a flange at its upper endV adapted to engage the top edge of the upper strip and also having an outwardly bent portion for engaging` with the bottom edge of the lower strip, and said clip adapted to be held within the passageways and in such relation under spring tension.

6. In combination with a butt-joint culvert having passageways between its side and metal strips secured thereto, a clip or key made of spring metal and of a form substantially U-shaped in cross section, said clip adapted for insertion within said passageways, in which'position the clip is held under spring tension and serves to hold and retain the longitudinal meeting edges of the culvert in abutting relation.

7. In combination with a sheet metal culvert made up of complementary sections having longitudinal abutting edges and metal strips secured to thesides of said culvert sections along the longitudinal edges thereof for forming passageways between the culvert sides and said metal strips, a spring clip or key of inverted U-form engaging within said passageways, one member of said spring clip engaging the sides of said sections at a point where the longitudinal edges of the same abut, and the other member Vof said clip adapted to bear against sides and metal strips secured to said sides near the longitudinal kedges thereof, a spring clip or key of U-form, one member of said spring clip adapted to engage the sides of the culvert at the joint between the sections and the other member adapted to bear against the inner face of the metal strips, said clip having flanges at opposite ends thereof for engaging the top and bottom edges of the upper and lower strips respectively of complementary sections, in which position the clip is held under spring tension and serves to hold and retain the longitudinal meeting edges of the culvert sections in abutting relation.

9. In combination with a butt-joint culvert having passageways formed between the side of said culvert and the metal strips secured to the same7 a retaining means engaging within said passageways, said retaining means having members which have a normal tendency to spread apart, whereby the retaining means is capable of adapting itself to passageways of different widths, one of said members being kso constructed upon its outer face as to be capable of exerting pressure against the side of the culvert for properly holding and retaining the longitudinal meeting edges vof said culvert in abutting relation.

In testimony whereof I have afHXed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN H. DEAN. Witnesses:

T. B. TURNER,

JoB GOING.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

